SUMMARY OF MAJOR LANDMARKS
IN THE HISTORY OF TESTING
We conclude our historical survey of psychological
testing with a brief tabular summary of landmark
events up to 1950 (Table 1.2). The interested
reader can find a more detailed listing—including
a chronology of post-1950 developments—in
Appendix A.
TABLE 1.2 A Summary of Early Landmarks in the History of Testing
2200 B.C.
A.D.1862
1884
1890
1901
1905
1914
1916
1917
1917
1920
1921
1927
1939
1942
1949
Chinese begin civil service examinations.
Wilhelm Wundt uses a calibrated pendulum to measure the “speed of
thought.”
Francis Galton administers the first test battery to thousands of citizens at
the International Health Exhibit.
James McKeen Cattell uses the term mental test in announcing the agenda
for his Galtonian test battery.
Clark Wissler discovers that Cattellian “brass instruments” tests have no
correlation with college grades.
Binet and Simon invent the first modern intelligence test.
Stern introduces the IQ, or intelligence quotient: the mental age divided by
chronological age.
Lewis Terman revises the Binet-Simon scales, publishes the Stanford-
Binet. Revisions appear in 1937, 1960, and 1986.
Robert Yerkes spearheads the development of the Army Alpha and Beta
examinations used for testing WWI recruits.
Robert Woodworth develops the Personal Data Sheet, the first personality
test.
Rorschach Inkblot test published.
Psychological Corporation—the first major test publisher—founded by
Cattell, Thorndike, and Woodworth.
First edition of the Strong Vocational Interest Blank published.
Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale published. Revisions published in
1955, 1981, and 1997.
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory published.
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children published. Revisions published
in 1974, 1991.